Whether you're searching using OneSearch or another library database, there are certain strategies you can use to ensure you find the kind of information for which you're looking. When you use search engines like Google, you're able to type in whole questions or phrases. Library databases, however, are much more specific.
First, we select the main search terms that relate to our topic. The database works best with nouns. Eliminate any articles (of, to, is, the), adjectives (best, worst, good, bad), and most verbs (affect, change, alter, support).
Quotation marks are used to tell databases to search for words in a certain order. This is especially useful for specific topics that can't be boiled down to a single word.
This is also helpful when searching for the title of a specific source!
We then connect our search terms. This is what we'll actually type into a database search box. Search strings work best when they're limited to no more than four search terms—otherwise, your search will be too narrow!
When you connect your search terms using AND, the database will search for books, articles, and more that contain all your search terms. Search strings using AND narrow our search.
Search strings using OR help us expand our search and find more results. Often, OR is used in conjunction with parentheses. OR on its own can often bring back too many results, so the parentheses help keep the database from bringing up off-topic resources:
You may want to exclude certain concepts from your research. This can be done using the word NOT. Search strings using NOT help us narrow our search and find results that are more relevant to our topic.
If you're struggling with your searches, please contact a librarian!
Most scholarly articles follow the structure seen in the image above. Understanding this structure will help you be a more efficient reader and understand which parts of the article are most useful to you as a researcher.